This invention relates to kiosks. Such structures of this type, generally, allow the user to prepare customized wrapping paper at the kiosk.
It is known, in the greeting card art, to employ a variety of computer-controlled machines for vending personalized products or the like. Exemplary of such prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,472 (""472) to S. P. Buckley et.al., entitled xe2x80x9cComputer Controlled Machine for Vending Personalized Products or the Like,xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,316 (""316) to S. P. Buckley et.al., entitled xe2x80x9cComputer Controlled System for Vending Personalized Products,xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,604 (""604) to S. P. Buckley et.al., entitled xe2x80x9cComputer Controlled System for Vending Personalized Products,xe2x80x9d and U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,590 (""590) to T. G. Cannon et.al., entitled xe2x80x9cSystem for Printing Social Expression Cards.xe2x80x9d While the ""472, ""316, ""604, and ""590 references employ a variety of computer-controlled machines for vending personalized products, such as greeting cards, none of these references teach a kiosk for preparing customized wrapping paper.
It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a kiosk, which is capable of preparing personalized products, but which at the same time is capable of producing customized wrapping paper. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.
Generally speaking, this invention fulfills these needs by providing a method for preparing customized wrapping paper, comprising the steps of: downloading an image into a kiosk; selecting a wrapping paper background substantially at the kiosk; selecting paper quality and dimensions substantially at the kiosk; viewing the customized wrapping paper substantially at the kiosk; and printing the customized wrapping paper substantially at the kiosk.
In certain preferred embodiments, the method also includes the steps of adjusting the image, if necessary and paying for the paper. Also, the image can be downloaded into a kiosk by squirting an image from the user""s personal communication device (PCD) or downloading a pre-selected image located at the kiosk. Finally, the user can pay the attendant at the kiosk or by electronic billing.
In another further preferred embodiment, the kiosk allows the user to prepare customized wrapping paper, in which the user can employ pre-selected images or personalized images, a variety of backgrounds, and a variety of paper qualities and dimensions.
The preferred kiosk, according to this invention, offers the following advantages: ease-of-use; ability to utilize a variety of images; ability to utilize a variety of backgrounds; ability to utilize a variety of paper qualities and dimensions; ability to view the customized paper prior to printing; ability to utilize a variety of payment options; and good economy. In fact, in many of the preferred embodiments, these factors of ease-of-use, ability to utilize a variety of images, ability to utilize a variety of backgrounds, ability to utilize a variety of paper qualities and dimensions, ability to view the customized paper prior to printing; and ability to utilize a variety of payment options are optimized to an extent that is considerably higher than heretofore achieved in prior, known kiosks.
The above and other features of the present invention, which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, are best understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying FIGURE and in which: